It's that time of year again! Time for hundreds of sweaty runners (including myself, hi, Amanda here!) to pound our streets in hopes of glory and PRs. If you have lived here awhile you know the drill, but if you are new to the neighborhood, or just have a short memory, here is what you need to know about road closures and how you can be a part of it all come Race Day, April 6th!
There are 6 total races in this Great Race series, 3 of which will temporarily impact the neighborhood. The Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K all start in Fountainwood at the top of Carell Ave and will run through a portion of our neighborhood. You can expect temporary road closures and runners in our surrounding area for the duration of the morning, and Kanan and TO Blvd will both experience heavy foot traffic and delays for drivers.
Official Road Closures
Thousand Oaks Blvd east of Kanan 5:15 to 11am
Carell Ave 5:30 until 11am
Idle Dr 5:30 to 11am
Kanan Rd northbound will be restricted to the west lane and the Sheriff's Department will be assisting drivers at each intersection. Because three of the races will be utilizing Kanan at some point along their course, you can expect to see a steady stream of runners along it starting as early as 7:30am, and until the last few diehards trickle through around 10:30am.
Many of our streets will be impacted during the race, but not fully closed. These roads will remain open, but runners will have right of way and police escorts that will stop traffic as necessary, so make sure you are alert and paying attention. If you are going somewhere leave early, this is not a good day to be running late.
When Will Each Race Pass Through Fountainwood?
Half Marathon
Race starts at 7am and will head south on Carell Ave. Runners will exit Fountainwood by turning right onto Thousand Oaks Blvd. Runners will not have an impact on our neighborhood until they run past us going South on Kanan to finish the race. Full half marathon course map here.
Race starts at 7:28 am and will head north on Carell and come down Hollow Brook Ave, turn right onto Calmfield, then take a left at Eagleton before exiting the neighborhood and running South along Kanan. The latest I would expect to see any runners on our streets during the 10k is 7:45am, unless something crazy happens. Full 10K course map here.
5k
Race starts at 9:05 am and will follow the same course as the 10k until reaching Eagleton. Instead of turning left and exiting the neighborhood, they will turn right and run up Eagleton until the intersection with Acadia. Runners will run the length of Acadia to Timberlane. From Timberlane they will turn onto Pinewood and effectively exit our neighborhood. I would expect the latest you will see runners in the neighborhood to be 9:30am. I think most will easily be out before then, but 5k's tend to have walkers and young families in the mix. Full 5k course map here.
Party!
All of the races end at Chumash Park. If you would like to enjoy the festivities with the runners I'd head over there around 8:30 and cheer on the runners as they cross the finish lines! Parking will be extremely limited, and difficult to get to with road closures, so walk or car pool over. Speaking as a runner, and as someone who will be participating in the 10k this year, please feel free to cheer on runners as they pass your houses! Cheers are always welcome and lift runners spirits, especially those of us who are wildly out of shape and will need all the encouragement they can get.
It's me, I'm the one who needs the encouragement.
Volunteer
Let's be real, running isn't for everyone. Want to be a part of it, but without running a step? Volunteers are GREATLY needed, and races like this one could. not. happen. without the aid of wonderful volunteers. And it just so happens that The Great Race volunteer manager is our very own neighbor, Jodi over on Marlies!
It takes a village of volunteers to execute a race, 300 of them, to be exact. Volunteer teams are made up of local businesses, schools, clubs, and even Pepperdine University is sending over a crew this year! However, even with all of this support Jodi is still in need of volunteers to work as course monitors (if you live along the racecourse all you would have to essentially do is stand in front of your home for a couple of hours!), and the post race party in Chumash Park is also in need of more help.
Volunteers are needed March 30th, 31st, and on Race day. You will receive an exclusive race shirt as a thank you, and will create memories that will enrich your live. The minimum age requirement to volunteer without an adult is 14, and students can earn community service hours for their time.
If you are interested or have any questions please visit the race website here, or send Jodi an email, she would love to hear from you! Her address is Jodi@GreatRaceofAgoura.com.Â
Volunteering is easy, and fun! I myself have spent many hours volunteering at Spartan Races, and it is always such a rewarding experience. Being able to assist others while they are mentally and physically testing their limits is inspiring, 10/10 recommend it.
And if you are paying attention, yes, I completely copy and pasted last years article. The info was good then, and it's good now. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Good luck runners!
Brought to you by:
 Jessica Carter l DRE #01490419 l 818.590.4246 l JessicaCarterHomes@gmail.com
"Your Fountainwood neighbor and local area specialist"